Jazz Players: MaReBa
by Nani2
Summary: Spike and the gang chase a bounty head named Fluffy with the help of a bounty hunter named Haruka. Is Haruka just a cowgirl, or has she played a part in Spike's past? Later chapters will cover this revelation. PG for language.


Author's Note:  
*I don't own Cowboy Bebop  
*Each chapter is divided into 5 sessions (the session are really short)  
*Session names are based on songs by the brilliant green, a j-rock band  
*The character Haruka is based on Haruhara Haruko from Furi Kuri and myself  
*Please R&R for my self motivation  
  
Chapter 1: MaReBa  
  
session 1: here come the jazz players...  
===========================  
Mandvi Haruka sat back in her ship. Relaxed and poised were two words that could describe her current status. She held her cream  
colored electric guitar and gazed outside. Clouds were covering Mars at the present, thanks to the Mars Weather Service. Haruka  
continued to gnaw at the burned out cigarette resting on her lip. Her long black hair unraveled in the small ship, with tints of red  
being highlighted from the small sunlight. Carefully, she placed her prized guitar aside and watched the tiny television screen   
located at the ship's controls. 'Big Shot''s theme music played out as Punch and Judy comically delivered today's bounty.  
  
"Hey all ya cowboys and cowgirls! Here's another edition o' 'Big Shot'!"  
  
"Yee haw! This is Punch, and to my side is my lovely co-host Judy! We'll be announcin' today's big bounties for y'all, so keep your  
ear high an' mighty!"  
  
"Today's high rollin' bounty is the notorious criminal..... Fluffy Mamun...? Apparen' ly this guy was shootin' up some folks down on  
Ganymede. He's been known tah gamble woolongs by the minute. Been spotted aroun' Mars....!"  
  
"Fluffly Mamun? Actually feel sorry fer the fella. Well cowboys an' cowgirls, brace yourselves! The bounties fer 5 million woolong but a  
tad bit o' bonus will be added if ya bring him in... alive!"   
  
"Be careful out there! This fella's ruthless an' his name certainly don't fit tha character! Good luck! We'll keep postin' more info later!"  
  
Haruka tapped the power button for the t.v. and stuck her cigarette under her seat. Mounds of junk were pushed under the tiny  
compartment, but she didn't care. For now, a bounty hunter is nowhere without a bounty head. She zipped up her red bullet proof  
vest and leaned forward. Haruka slipped on her leather gloves, with the fingertips obviously cut off. She flipped on the radio switch and   
tapped her fingers to the free style tunes of Radio Free Mars. With a sigh, she thrust her ship forward towards the busy streets of below.  
  
Meanwhile, three bounty hunters were staring in disbelief at the bounty's name. Spike Spiegel chuckled and lay back on the couch,   
stretching out his legs on the table. The captain of the Bebop, Jet Black, began rubbing his forehead, already thinking about how they  
should share the bounty if they catch the guy. And Faye Valentine? The vixen was already grabbing her gun and sunglasses, ready to  
take off in the Redtail.   
  
Jet glanced over at Faye. "He's not as easy as he looks Faye. Don't go lookin' for us when he busts a cap and you're the one to take  
it."  
  
"Don't worry, boys. If I get him first, I'll be the one to bring in the money with none to share." With a sly smile, she walked off to the  
hangar. A faint scent was creeping to Spike's nose.  
  
"What the hell is that?!"  
  
"Shit! The food... Ah, what the hell, it's already burnt. Spike," Jet popped his head out from the kitchen, a thick cigarette in his mouth,   
".... get that bounty before she does. I don't want to die of starvation with a lot like you."  
  
"Whatever happens, happens."  
  
Spike slouched his wide shoulders and slid his hands in his pocket. He pulled out a limp cigarette and stuffed it in his mouth. He   
didn't bother lighting it. Spike walked to the hangar and took off in his ship, Swordfish II. Little did he know that he would meet up  
with a woman from the past he never knew.   
  
session 2: hello another way  
===================  
  
Haruka shielded her eyes from the sunlight. A peek of the bright day shone thru the clouds. The streets lined with cold brick lay   
ahead of her search. All she was looking for was a kid with one eye...  
  
"Hey! Come back here!" Haruka whipped around and spotted a dark-skinned boy running from the bar. He was dizzy and apparently  
lacked coordinaton. One eye patch was barely visible under his mat of black hair. She glanced at the trio of hooded men chasing the  
hapless boy. Instantly, Haruka knew this was the kid she was looking for. She revved up her vespa and rode thru crowded alleys  
to meet up with the boy.  
  
"Kid! Over here!" She instantly braked, quickly adjusting her goggles, motioning the child a seat on the vespa. "C'mon!"  
  
The kid looked at the incoming men and the vespa. "Hooded men, or a psycho babe. Hooded men, or a psycho babe." Realizing  
the urgency of his situation, the small kid caught a helmet tossed by Haruka. He hopped on and they zoomed off. Two of the hooded  
men paused in their running, and caught their breath. The third walked from behind and placed his katana under his black coat. He tossed off  
his hood and narrowed his slim eyes. He grinned an evil smile.  
  
"Haruka... Do you think running away from me will save you?" With that statement, he stabbed the two out-of-breath men through their   
hearts. The cruel man shifted his grin to a cold stare.  
  
"Those who have failed have no use in this world. No matter how great or small." The man walked away from the corspes, leaving only  
the faint smell of blood.  
  
Away from this chaos, Faye Valentine sat comfortably at the bar stool. The sign outside flashed "Curry for the Soul," though the little joint looked  
more like a cheap place to sell bar then a philosophical restaurant. She inhaled in the dirty smoke that filled the room and looked around through  
her dark glasses. thought Faye. Then she spotted him. Sitting with a group of women was a big-boned, hooded figure that was obviously trying to hide among them. He stuck out   
like a sore thumb. Faye flashed a quick smile and walked over to the table, gun carefully concealed.  
  
"If you come with me quietly, no one's gonna get hurt, ok?" She pulled out her gun and placed it to the figure's head. The hood was still carefully hiding  
the face of the person. Faye grabbed the cigarette placed in her mouth and a small sigh escaped her cherry-colored lips. She took off her shades and squinted   
her eyes to show impatience. The hooded person stood up and turned, towering over Faye. She began to get scared, worrying about the bounty's next move.  
  
"Come with me." A silence fell over the entire bar. This voice was somewhat soft and kind with a menacing undertone. Faye backed away and she let her gun  
slide out of her elegant fingers. She caught a glimpse of the strange man and felt comforted yet terrified.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Faye. Her lips trembled and her eyes were widening with fear. The man slid his soft hands into Faye's and ran up the stairs, dragging  
her along. Bewildered was one word to describe Faye. She felt like everything went blurry the moment he opened the door.   
  
session 3: round and round  
===================  
  
"It was all an accident..."  
  
Faye uneasily sat on the floor mat. Tatami mats were spread all over the floor. Pillows were propped up against the walls, and a white curtain covered the   
windows and cracks. A small briefcase stuck out from the richly colored pillows. She peered over at the man's face.   
  
"Who are you?" asked Faye.  
  
"I... am not Fluffy Mamun." He turned to the woman and threw off his hood. Faye again noticed his warm brown eyes and oddly dyed blonde hair. A black choker  
was clamped around his neck. He looked surprisingly young, around 19 or 20, but his face possessed a nice adult-like charm.  
  
"My name is Fura Hi-mun. They never get my name right..." Frustrated, he shook his head and gave Faye a sly smile.   
  
"So, you here for my bounty?"   
  
Faye chuckled and smiled. She noticed a pack of cigarettes on the coffeetable. "Can you give me a smoke first?"  
  
Fura grabbed his pack and lit a Marlboro cigarette for the lady. He sat down and glanced up at the ceiling fan. Fura could tell it was already dying out on him.   
Just like everything else....  
  
"Want to hear me out?" He rested his long, skinny arms over the pillows. Sitting in a cross-legged position, Fura looked ridiculous. His legs were sticking out, and  
his robe could not hide glimpses of his tanned legs.  
  
Faye leaned against the wall. "Alright. Just don't try anything."  
  
"I was part of a Syndicate. It doesn't matter which one 'cause they're all the same. Loyalty always comes first. But.... there was one man. His name was   
Vicious..." A chill creeped up Faye's spine. She could still recall the time she unwillingly met Vicious. He looked like the devil that would kill all men's flaws.   
  
"... Vicious... everyone was scared of him. He tried to shift loyalties in the Syndicate. One half sided with him, the other stayed loyal to the Elders. I just wanted  
to leave this hell of a place. I was sick of this. I wanted to be free from all this. Unfortunately, they tricked me. The Elders always claimed that I was on their   
side. Finally they told me I had one more mission and I would be able to leave. From the moment I heard these words, I knew something wrong would go   
down. I was told to go to Ganymede and meet up with some red-eye dealers for a trade. When I got there, they were trying to kill me. So I went completely  
berserk. I shot up a couple of men and women from a rival syndicate. Obviously, the Elders didn't want me to 'just leave.' So... that's how I got the bounty  
put on my ass. The syndicate (the one I shot up) has a leader that probably put a price on my head."  
  
Faye gazed at Fura. "Why'd you bring me here?"  
  
"I have to run. Do you have any friends?"  
  
"I wouldn't call them my friends. More like unreliable comrades."  
  
"Give them a call."  
  
"Why?" Faye was steadily becoming uneasy by the minute.  
  
"Sorry, lady. I can't let you leave this room." Fura stood up and bolted the door shut. He laid down by the pillows and waited for her reluctant call.   
  
"I didn't catch your name."  
  
"Faye.... Valentine."  
  
"Faye Valentine.... has a nice ring to it... you should call them right now."  
  
She walked over to the transmitter. Faye began dialing.  
  
"Miss Valentine, tell them I'm holding you for ransom."  
  
session 4: funny girlfriend  
==================  
  
The orange vespa sped through Chinatown. Even though sections of Mars were prosperous, this part of the city was pure eyecandy. Signs flashed "RA-BU   
HO-TE-RU" and "Emperor's Prized Jade." A blend of cultural developments were everywhere: Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Burmese, Mongolian. Somehow  
these cultures were able to thrive and come here.   
  
Haruka stopped the fast ride at a small Japanese noodle stand. She placed an electronic lock on the vespa and took off her goggles. The kid was looking like he'd  
blow chunks any minute. Haruka adjusted her short school-girl-esque skirt. She bent down and examined the boy.   
  
"You ok? Want something to eat?"   
  
The kid looked up at Haruka with his one, multi-colored eye. A drab eyepatch covered his other side of the face. His skin was dark and smooth.   
thought Haruka.  
  
"Yes. Can I eat some-sing pu-reesu?" His childish accent was irresistible. Haruka sighed and lead the way to the noodle stand. A very large woman was already  
cooking the day's meals. Haruka laid down 1, 500 woolong.  
  
"How much can I get with this?" The lady smiled and handed Haruka a bowl of udon noodles. The two sat down and Haruka rested her chin on her hand. The kid  
stared at Haruka. Noodles were barely entering his mouth. Haruka noticed this and grinned.  
  
"Do you think I'm crazy or something?"  
  
"No... you jus-u look rilly pretty."  
  
"Oh really? Hehe, my attitude doesn't really support that."  
  
"Wha--?"  
  
"Look kid, do ya know anything about the latest bounty?"  
  
"........................"  
  
"If ya don't, I'm going to drop you off right where I picked you up."  
  
".... Mama.... use to date him....."  
  
"Really? How old is your mama?"  
  
"She jusu really young... But he leave after bounty put on him..."  
  
"Oh, I see...." Haruka lit a limp cigarette that was crushed in her pocket. She looked around.   
  
"I know where he is...." whispered the kid.   
  
Haruka leaned forward. "Where?" she whispered back.  
  
"At Curry fah za Sou-ru. I spot him there sometime."  
  
"Thanks, kid. Here..." Haruka felt around the inside of her helmet. She pulled out some woolong concealed in a loose flap. "Give this to your mama. I'll leave ya  
here."  
  
Haruka fastened her goggles and straightened her long hair. She winked at the one-eyed kid and rode off.  
  
"Hen'na na on'na..." The little boy took a look at the woolong left by Haruka. The folded money had a card inside.   
  
"Mandvi Haruka," he read, "Bounty Hunter/MaReBa. MaReBa?"  
  
session 5: september rain  
==================  
  
"Damn... why does it have to rain?" Spike Spiegel was trying to tread through the pouring rain. The streets were completely deserted. The rain provided the   
perfect metaphor for the falling memories. Spike scanned the distance and could barely notice the flashing signs.   
  
"Curry for the Soul. That woman always gets in trouble."  
  
Suddenly a vespa sped through the wet streets. The bright colored vehicle shone brightly through the bleak weather.   
  
"OUT OF MY WAY!!!!"  
  
A frantic woman was spinning out of control on the vespa. Spike spun around and stepped to the side, letting the transport slam against a brick wall. The vespa  
perfectly stopped and leaned against the wall. The lady was a different matter. She was thrown thru an abandoned building's window. Spike walked toward the  
broken glass and peered over the window sill.   
  
"Ow. I thought I would die...." She rubbed her head. The large goggles that were no where to be seen, and her long black locks were wet from the rain. The bullet  
proof vest wrapped around her body was still intact. However her skirt was a different matter...  
  
"Are you ok?" asked Spike. His hands were in his coat pocket and a wet cigarette was on the edge of his mouth. He looked down and motioned towards the   
woman's skirt. "You might want to fix that."  
  
The lady straightened her skirt and stood up. "Hehe, thanks." She climbed thru the broken window and walked towards her vespa. Spike was headed in a different  
direction.   
  
"Hey. Are you a cowboy?" asked the woman.  
  
Spike turned and stopped in his tracks. "Just your average bounty hunter."  
  
"You know Fluffly Mamun then, right? If you are, he's not where you heading. Here..." The woman tossed him a spare helmet. "... I'll split the bounty with you. I might  
need some help. What do ya say?"  
  
Spike was trying to pull down the helmet but his hair wouldn't be tamed. He tossed it back to the lady.   
  
"Sure, but I'm not wearing a helmet."  
  
"Fine...." A faint smile was hidden under the goggles, "It's not my fault if ya die."  
  
Spike climbed on the back and placed his arms around the woman's waist. This was an unusual sight: his lanky legs stuck out on both sides. They zipped through  
the slick streets. Spike was getting sleepy, until the lady asked him a question.  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Spike Spiegel."  
  
"Spike. Hm... I don't think it fits you. My name is Haruka."  
  
"Don't you have a last name?"  
  
"I do. But I don't feel like telling you." Haruka turned around for a second and stuck out her tongue. Spike returned the childish face by serving the stink eye. She   
laughed and continued steering through the winding roads. Spike then began asking the questions.  
  
"You're a bounty hunter?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Do anything else?"  
  
"Only if it brings in some money. I'm a MaReBa, you know?"  
  
"MaReBa? What the hell is that?" The vespa suddently spun out of control and braked in front of a small food joint. Spike fell off and landed on his ass on a nearby  
curve. Haruka stepped off the vespa and helped Spike up. He was barely taller than her with Haruka coming up to his nose.   
  
"We're here," announced Haruka. "Curry for the Soul. MaReBa, by the way...." She reached up close to Spike's face. "Ever feel like you can't wake up. When you   
pound so hard, it's like no one can hear you but yourself. Then that one person comes along and opens the door for you. A MaReBa is the true feeling of waking up  
and being alive. Besides, I made up that word." Haruka hung her goggles on the vespa's handles and rested her helmet on the seat. She pulled her white shirt and  
smooted the red-colored vest pulled tightly around her body. She looked for Spike, but he was nowhere to be seen. Gunshots and shattered glass could be heard from the  
outside.  
  
Shaking her head, she muttered, "Idiot... He looks so familiar....." Haruka brushed away the fact and took out her guitar. This guitar was her treasure, and it was  
carefully hidden in a compartment underneath the vespa. She held the guitar by the neck and headed inside the restaurant.   
  
"I'm coming. Fool."  
  
NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW:   
  
Faye: "Can someone give me a hand?"  
  
Spike: "Hey, look at the one who got in trouble."  
  
Haruka: "What goes around comes around."  
  
Faye: "Who are you?"  
  
Ed: "Edward knows!"  
  
Jet: "Don't tell me. Another mouth to feed?"  
  
Haruka: "Next chapter: FuRiTaRi"  
  
Faye: "What's with these weird titles?" 


End file.
